Antirolling apparatus for ships



Nov. 16, 1937.. w. WALLACE 2,099,380

ANTIROLLING APPARATUS FOR .SHIPS I Filed Dec. 22, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet l Nov, 16, 1937. w. WALLACE 2,099,380

ANTIROLLING APPARATUS FOR SHIPS Filed Dec. 22, 1936 5 Sheets-SheehZ FIG I Nov. 16, 1937. w. WALLACE j 2,099,380

- ANTIROLLING APPARATUS FOR SHIPS Filed Dec. 22, 19,36 5 Sheefs-SheetS Mag/[Q f Nov. 16, 1937. w. WALLACE 2,699,380

ANTIROLLI NG APPARATUS FOR SHIPS Nov. 16, 1937. w. WALLACE 2,099,380

ANTIROLLING APPARATUS FOR SHIPS Filed Dec. 22, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 O a Q C) Lq \b .z llz/elztfii': .tl/ ljiuwzy 4 :1

Vlatented Nov. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANTIROLLING APPARATUS FOR SHIPS William Wallace, Edinburgh, Scotland, assignor of one-half to Brown Brothers & Company Limited, Edinburgh, Scotland, a corporation of Great Britain, and one-half to William Denny & Brothers Limited, Dumbarton, Scotland, a corporation of Great Britain Application December 22, 1936, Serial No. 117,205 In Great Britain May 21, 1936 12 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in antirolling apparatus for ships, of the type including at least two lateral fins adapted, for operation to be protruded outboard one from the port side, and one from the starboard side of the ship, usually at the turn of the bilge, to be oscillated about axes disposed athwartship, whereby to exercise anti-rolling couples on the travelling ship, and to be retracted inboard into box-like housings in the ships hull when not required.

As is understood, such rudders or fins are so controlled that, in the rolling movement of the ship, the leading edge of the fin on the descending side is elevated and the leading edge of the fin on the ascending side is depressed, so that the vertical components of the pressure of the water on the fins in the travel of the ship exercise righting or roll-damping couples on the ship.

In a known construction of anti-rolling apparatus the fins are controlled in their oscillatory movement by means of an electrically-driven gyroscopic device responsive to rolling movements of the ship.

Anti-rolling apparatus according to the present 1 invention includes at least a port fin and a starboard fin, and a hydraulic motor or motors for effecting the oscillatory movements of the fins, and control gear contrived to ensure synchronization of said oscillatory movements.

Each fin is attached to the outboard end of a fin-carrying shaft extending athwartship and mounted for oscillatory and endwise movement.

Each fin-carrying shaft telescopically engages in splined relationship a fin-oscillating shaft extending axially-of a hydraulic motor cylinder in which works a fin-protruding and .-retracting piston attached to the inboard end of the fincarrying shaft, so that, on admission of pressure fluid to the appropriate end of the cylinder, the associated fin may be protruded to operative position, or retracted into its housing, the fin-carrying shaft sliding upon the fin-oscillating shaft in the fin-protruding and -retracting movements of the fin-carrying shaft and piston.

Anti-rolling apparatus according to the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figs. 1 and 1* constitute a diagrammatic view showing the layout of the apparatus. Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are detail views, drawn to a larger scale, of components which are indicated only conventionally in Figs. 1 and 1*. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary part elevation part section as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrow A in Fig. 1. Figs. 6 and 6 together constitute an elevation, looking forward, showing the apparatus installed in a ship, Fig. 6 showing the port fin in retracted or inoperative position, and Fig. 6 showing the starboard fin in protruded or operative position. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a modification wherein the operating pressure fluid for the apparatus is derived from an external source.

The anti-rolling apparatus shown in Figs. 1-6 and 6 of the drawings includes two so-called horizontal rudders or lateral fins I, l adapted, for operation, to be protruded outboard from the port and starboard sides, respectively, of the ship, to be oscillated about axes disposed athwartship, whereby to exercise anti-rolling couples on the travelling ship, and to be retracted inboard into box-like housings 2 in the ships hull when not required.

As is understood, the fins I, l are so controlled that, in the rolling movements of the ship, the leading edge of the fin on the descending side is elevated, and the leading edge of the fin on the ascending side is depressed, so that the vertical components of the pressure of the water on the fins in the travel of the ship exercise righting or roll-damping couples on the ship.

The fins are controlled in their oscillatory movements by means of an electrically-driven gyroscopic device 3 located in the chartroom or in any other part of the ship, and are actuated by hydraulic means including reciprocators for effecting the oscillatory movements of the fins and reciprocators for protruding and retracting the fins.

Each fin is attached to the outboard end of a fin-carrying shaft 4 extending athwartship and mounted for oscillatory and endwise movement. The shaft 4 is tubular and telescopically engages in splined relationship a fin-oscillating shaft 5 extending axially of a hydraulic motor cylinder 6 in which Works a piston I attached to the inboard end of the shaft 4, so that, on admission of pressure fluid to the appropriate end of the cylinder 6, the associated fin l or I may be protruded to operative position, or retracted into its housing 2, the shaft 4 sliding upon the shaft 5.

For imparting oscillatory movements to the fins there is positioned at the inboard end of each shaft 5 a double-acting hydraulic motor including two opposed cylinders 8 and a ram 9 disposed transversely of the shaft 5 and adapted to act on a tiller-arm l0 secured on the shaft 5.

Pressure fluid for effecting the oscillatory movements of the fins is supplied to each motor 8, 9 by an infinitely-variable-delivery rotary pump ll contrived to give stepless control of the fins, both pumps II being driven continuously by a common electric or other motor I2 which drives also a third, automatically controlled, infinitely-variable-delivery pump I3 for servo control purposes and for the purpose of supplying pressure fluid to the motors 6, I.

Delivery-regulating levers I4 of the pumps II and link-trains I5 participating in the movements of the rams 9 are operatively interconnected by hunting mechanism connected also to a control lever I6 adapted to be rocked by a hydraulic control-motor I! (Fig. 2) supplied with pressure fluid from the pump I3 under the control of a valve I8 movement of which is controlled by the gyroscope 3.

The hunting mechanism for the control of each pump II includes a floatinglever 3| fulcrumed between its ends on one end of a link 32 of which the other end is connected to the respective lever I4, the ends of the lever 3I being connected, one to the associated link-train I5 and one to one arm of the lever I6, which has three arms connected one to each lever 3|, and one to the reciprocator 38 of the control-motor IT. A spring 29 is incorporated in each link 32 so as to permit movement of the control gear in excess of that actually required for actuation of the respective lever I4, and so as to ensure that the hunting mechanism will not be strained in the event of the control-motor I1 being operated when the pumps II are at rest. The control valve I8 is centralized by a spring 33 and is actuated by solenoids I9, 20 in circuit with relay-operated switches 2|, 22 controlled electrically by the gyroscope 3, the relays being included in circuits which are made or broken selectively in known manner by the precessional movements of the gyroscope 3 in response to the initial rolling movements of the ship.

In operation, with the fins in protruded or operative position, at the commencement of a roll to port or starboard, the precessional movement of the gyroscope 3 closes a circuit which brings about movement in one direction of the control valve I8 which admits pressure fluid to the motor I! to move the control lever l6 in the appropriate direction. Movement of the control lever I6 effects simultaneous but oppositely directed movements of the delivery-regulating levers I4 of both pumps II whereby these pumps are caused to supply pressure fluid to the appropriate ends of the rams 9 to efiect oscillation of the fins in opposite angular senses, to apply a righting couple to the ship. The hunting mechanism for the fin-oscillating pump control, being influenced in one sense by the movement of the lever I6 and, subsequently, in the opposite sense by the consequential movements of the fins, acts to restore the levers I4 to neutral or mid-position when the fins attain the requisite angular settings as determined by the displacement of the control lever I6 away from neutral or mid-position in either direction.

In Fig. 1 the fins are shown in protruded or operative position, and the apparatus about to operate to damp out a roll to starboard.

The gyroscope 3 spins on a horizontal axis and is mounted for precessional movement about a vertical axis, having only a few degrees of freedom for precession.

A manually operable distributing valve 23 (Fig. 3) is provided for controlling the delivery and exhaust of fluid to and from the hydraulic motors 6, pressure fluid being supplied for this purpose by the servo pump I 3.

In order to bring the apparatus into operation,

the pumps are started up, the fins extended to operative position, and the gyroscope 3 set in motion to take automatic control of the antirolling installation.

A manually operable stand-by pump 24 and an associated manual control valve 25 (Fig. 4) are provided for fin-oscillation and fin-protruding and -retracting purposes for the possible event that, in an emergency, pressure fluid may not be available from the power-driven pumps II, I3.

In order to ensure that the fin-protruding and -retracting motors 6 can be operated to retract the fins only when the fins are set in neutral angular position, there is provided, for co-operation with the manually operable lever 26 of the distributing valve 23 (Fig. 3), a hydraulically operated locking detent 21 which is controlled by a pair of control valves 28, one of which is actuated by each ram 9.

34 denotes a signalling switch which is maintained in closed position so long as servo pressure fluid is available.

35 denotes an oil tank which serves the pumps I I, I3 and 24 and which may be replenished with oil by operation of a manual pump 36.

In lieu of the link-trains I5 there may be employed hydraulic telemotor mechanism.

The permissible angle of oscillation of the fins is variable by the adjustment of stops 30 on the control motor I1 (Fig. 2). These stops 3!) may be adjusted automatically under the control of a clinometer or equivalent device which may control a reversible electric stop-adjusting motor, the arrangement ensuring that the displacement of the control lever I6 and the angle of oscillation of the fins shall always be a function of the angle of roll of the ship.

The speed of operation of the control motor II, which operates sensitively and without shock, is variable by manual adjustment of a pair of master valves 31 (Fig. 2) which determine the rate of flow of pressure fluid to the reciprocatory divided cylinder 38 of the motor I1, and by manual adjustment of a pair of obturators 39 interposed one in the exhaust conduit leading from each end of the cylinder 38. A compression spring 40 surrounding the cylinder 38 resists movement of the cylinder 38 away from midposition in both directions. Pressure fluid is conducted to and from the cylinder 38 through a stationary pair of rams 45 each of which enters one end of the cylinder 38 through a guide-forming bore 49 and is formed with an axial passage 46 and an annular passage 41 surrounding the passage 46 and terminating at the inner end of the respective ram 45 in a port 48. In the midposition of the cylinder 38 the ports 48 are only just masked by the bores 49. In operation, when pressure fluid is delivered through one of the valves 31, said fluid flows past an associated nonreturn valve 50 and past the respective obturator 39, and through the passage 46 of the respective ram 45 into the adjacent end of the cylinder 38.

As the cylinder 38 withdraws from the ram 45, admitting pressure fluid into the cylinder, the port 48 of said ram remains masked, but the port 48 of the other ram is unmasked, so that both passages 46, 41 of the second-mentioned ram conduct exhaust fluid away from the exhausting end of the cylinder. Now, when pressure fluid is delivered through the valve 31 of the secondmentioned ram 45, said fluid enters the cylinder through both passages 46, 41 until, when the cylinder regains mid-position, the port 48 is masked and the passage 46 only is available for delivery of pressure fluid into the cylinder. It will be seen that the speed of the cylinder 38 When moving towards mid-position in either direction is determined by the setting of the obturator 39 at the exhausting end of the cylinder.

When hydraulic power is available from any source external to the apparatus, the pumps II and I3 may be dispensed with and, as shown in Fig. 7, there may be substituted for each of the pumps II a slide valve 4| operated through the medium of the respective link 32 and pipe-connected to supply and exhaust hydraulic mains 42, 43, respectively, and to the cylinders 8 of the respective fin-oscillating motor by Way of pipes 44. The control-motor l! is also served from the mains 42, 43 by way of the valve I8.

I claim:-

1. Anti-rolling apparatus for ships comprising at least two fins on opposite sides of the ship, an axially movable shaft carrying each fin, an oscillatory shaft in splined relation with each axially movable shaft, at least one hydraulic motor for effecting oscillatory movements of said oscillatory shafts, means for effecting endwise movements of said axially movable shafts, and control gear ensuring synchronization of said oscillatory movements.

2. Anti-rolling apparatus for ships comprising at least two fins on opposite sides of the ship, an axially movable shaft carrying each fin, an oscillatory shaft in splined relation with each axially movable shaft, at least one hydraulic motor for effecting oscillatory movements of said oscillatory shafts, hydraulic motors for effecting axial movements of said first mentioned shafts, and control gear ensuring synchronization of said oscillatory movements.

3. Anti-rolling apparatus for ships comprising fins on opposite sides of the ship, means for imparting protruding and retracting movements to said fins, a hydraulic motor for imparting oscillatory movements to each fin, a pump for supplying pressure fluid to each of said hydraulic motors, a delivery regulating member for each pump, a hydraulic variable speed pump-controlling motor, hunting mechanism operatively connecting said pump-controlling motor to said delivery regulating members, and a controlling device for controlling the supply of pressure fluid to said pump-controlling motor.

4. Anti-rolling apparatus for ships comprising fins on opposite sides of the ship, means for imparting protruding and retracting movements to said fins, a hydraulic motor for imparting oscillatory movements to each fin, a pump for supplying pressure fluid to each of said hydraulic motors, delivery regulating members, one for each pump, a variable speed pump-controlling motor, hunting mechanism operatively connecting said pump-controlling motor to said delivery regulating members, said hunting mechanism including components connected to said hydraulic motors, and a controlling device controlling the supply of pressure fluid to said pump-controlling motor.

5. Anti-rolling apparatus for ships comprising fins on opposite sides of the ship, means for imparting protruding and retracting movements to said fins, a hydraulic motor for imparting oscillatory movements to each fin, a pump for supplying pressure fluid to each of said hydraulic motors, delivery regulating members one for each pump, a variable speed pump-controlling motor, hunting mechanism operatively connecting said motor to said delivery regulating members, said hunting mechanism including components connected to said hydraulic motors, a servo-pump for supplying pressure fluid to said pump-controlling motor, a control valve regulating the supply of pressure fluid by said servo-pump, and a roll-responsive device for actuating said valve.

6. Anti-rolling apparatus for ships comprising fins on opposite sides of the ship, motors for imparting protruding and retracting movements to said fins, a hydraulic motor for imparting oscillatory movements to each fin, a pump for supplying pressure fluid to each of said hydraulic motors, delivery regulating members one for each pump, a variable speed pump-controlling motor, hunting mechanism operatively connecting said motor to said delivery regulating members, said hunting mechanism including components connected to said hydraulic motors, a servo-pump for supplying pressure fluid to said pump-controlling motor and to said first mentioned motors, a control valve regulating the supply of pressure fluid by said servo-pump, and a roll-responsive device for actuating said valve.

7. Anti-rolling apparatus for ships comprising fins on opposite sides of the ship, hydraulic motors for effecting oscillatory movements of said fins, valves controlling the supply and exhaust of operating fluid to and from said motors, a hydraulic motor for operating said valves, hunting mechanism operatively interconnecting said valves, said first mentioned hydraulic motors and said valve-operating motor, means for effecting protruding and retracting movements of said fins, and control gear ensuring synchronization of said oscillatory movements.

8. Anti-rolling apparatus for ships comprising fins on opposite sides of the ship, an endwise movable shaft carrying each fin, a fin-oscillating shaft in splined engagement with each endwise movable shaft, a hydraulic reciprocator operatively connected to each fin-oscillating shaft for imparting oscillatory movements to the respective fin, a piston on each endwise movable shaft for imparting protruding and retracting movements to the respective fin, and control gear ensuring synchronization of the oscillatory movements of the fins.

9. Anti-rolling apparatus for ships comprising at least two fins on opposite sides of the ship, an axially movable shaft carrying each fin, a hydraulic motor for effecting axial movements of each shaft, said motor including a piston carried by said shaft, and a cylinder in which said piston is movable, an oscillatory shaft splined to each axially movable shaft, at least one hydraulic motor for effecting oscillatory movements of said oscillatory shafts, a control motor controlling the operation of said last mentioned hydraulic motor, and a pump supplying pressure fluid to said control motor and to said cylinders.

10. Anti-rolling apparatus for ships comprising fins on opposite sides of the ship, means for imparting protruding and retracting movements to said fins, a hydraulic motor for imparting oscillatory movements to each fin, a pump of the infinitely-variable-delivery type for supplying pressure fluid to each of said hydraulic motors, a delivery regulating member for each pump, a hydraulic variable speed pump-controlling motor, hunting mechanism operatively connecting said pump-controlling motor to said delivery regulating members, and a roll-responsive device controlling the supply of pressure fluid to said pump-controlling motor.

12. Anti-rolling apparatus for ships comprising fins on opposite sides of the ship, hydraulic motors incorporating rams for effecting oscillatory movements of said fins, valves controlling the supply and exhaust of operating fluid to and from said motors, levers for operating said valves, trains participating in the movement of said rams, a control lever controlling the movements of said valve operating levers, hunting mechanism connecting said valve-operating levers, said trains and said control lever, a hydraulic control motor for operating said control lever, and a roll-responsive device for controlling the operation of said hydraulic control motor.

WILLIAM WALLACE. 

